Handshake Hacks: Notification Preferences

DePaul’s Handshake platform has been helping students identify job and internship opportunities for almost two years now, and it’s continually being updated and improved to enhance the user experience. There are now multiple ways to identify not only jobs you might be interested in, but also specific companies and events that might be of interest to you based on your individual career goals. Even better, Handshake offers a quick, simple way to help you stay informed when any or all of the above are updated within the system.

There are two ways in which you can be notified of updates in Handshake. The first is through Handshake notifications, which you would only see if you are logged into the system. Any notifications you want to see within Handshake will be included under the globe icon on the upper-right side of the screen, no matter what page you are currently exploring on Handshake. The second option is to receive email notifications, which do not require you to be logged into Handshake to receive any recent updates. Select both options if you want to ensure that you don’t miss a thing!

The next time you log into Handshake, look to the top-right side of the screen where your name is and click on the drop-down menu. The second option down should read “User Settings,” which is where you can update basic account information like your name and year in school. You will also see a link that reads “Notification Preferences,” this function keeps you up-to-date on any jobs, employers, and events you’re most interested in.

Under “Notification Preferences,” you will notice a variety of different types of activities you may want to keep an eye on. Here is a list of the default notification preferences that the platform automatically sets. Here are a few preferences that might be beneficial to update moving forward:

Events

The Career Center hosts a number of career development workshops and networking events throughout the academic year. An easy way to keep track of these is to set notification updates and reminders for events you’ve registered for, as well as any new events on campus. You can also receive notifications about companies hosting information sessions at DePaul, which is a terrific opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a particular organization.

Interview Schedules

Some companies will hold on-campus interviews that allow students to interview for jobs and internships here on campus as opposed to meeting at the company itself. The job posting will clarify if a particular company is holding their interviews on-campus, in which case you will want to ensure you don’t miss any updates to the interview schedule! There are a variety of notifications you can set pertaining to on-campus interviews, including application deadlines, interview slots, and reminders about your interview schedule.

Jobs

Since the majority of students use Handshake to apply to jobs and internships, setting notifications to stay updated about application deadlines and new postings with a particular company is a smart way to stay informed about positions and employers you’re interested in.

Career Fairs

Similar to “Events,” this is a way to stay updated on upcoming job and internship fairs being hosted at DePaul.

Appointments

One of the newest features on Handshake! Requesting an appointment with your career advisor just got easier now that you can do so through the “Appointments” tab. Adjust these notification preferences so that you can stay updated on when your appointment request has been approved and to receive reminders about upcoming appointments.

Next Steps: Take some time to personalize your own notification settings in Handshake. It takes less than five minutes, and can help ensure that you never miss any activity pertaining to companies, job postings, and events that can help aid in your professional development.